Punjab govt to disclose info of ministers` tours

Chandigarh: In a step towards implementing administrative reforms, Punjab Government has decided to disclose information on the official tours of ministers and officials.

The government has directed all financial commissioners and department heads to give such information suo motu and under Right to Information (RTI) Act pertaining to official tours undertaken by ministers and other officials of the ministries/departments concerned.

An official spokesperson of Administrative Reforms Department said all Financial Commissioners and Department Heads have been instructed to strictly comply with the provisions under the RTI Act, 2005.

He said it has been advised that public authorities should pro-actively disclose the details of foreign and domestic official tours undertaken by ministers and officials of the rank of joint secretary and above to the Union government.

He said the information to be given could contain nature of the official tour, places visited, the period, number of people included in the official delegation and total cost of such travel.

The spokesperson said that these instructions would not apply to security and intelligence organisations.